1 Samuel 16:1–17:58

Samuel Anoints David as King

16:1 The Lord said to Samuel, “How long do you intend to mourn for Saul? I have rejected him as king over Israel.1 Fill your horn with olive oil and go! I am sending you to Jesse in Bethlehem,2 for I have selected a king for myself from among his sons.”3

16:2 Samuel replied, “How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me!” But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you4 and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 16:3 Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you should do. You will anoint for me the one I point out5 to you.”

16:4 Samuel did what the Lord told him.6 When he arrived in Bethlehem,7 the elders of the city were afraid to meet him. They8 said, “Do you come in peace?” 16:5 He replied, “Yes, in peace. I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” So he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

16:6 When they arrived, Samuel9 noticed10 Eliab and said to himself,11 “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king!”12 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by13 his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do.14 People look on the outward appearance,15 but the Lord looks at the heart.”

16:8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him to Samuel.16 But Samuel17 said, “The Lord has not chosen this one, either.” 16:9 Then Jesse presented18 Shammah. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 16:10 Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel.19 But Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” 16:11 Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Is that all of the young men?” Jesse20 replied, “There is still the youngest one, but he’s taking care of the flock.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we cannot turn our attention to other things until he comes here.”

16:12 So Jesse had him brought in.21 Now he was ruddy, with attractive eyes and a handsome appearance. The Lord said, “Go and anoint him. This is the one!” 16:13 So Samuel took the horn full of olive oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers. The Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David from that day onward. Then Samuel got up and went to Ramah.

David Appears before Saul

16:14 Now the Spirit of the Lord had turned away from Saul, and an evil spirit22 from the Lord tormented him. 16:15 Then Saul’s servants said to him, “Look, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you!” 16:16 Let our lord instruct his servants who are here before you to look for a man who knows how to play the lyre. Then whenever the evil spirit from God comes upon you, he can play the lyre23 and you will feel better.”24 16:17 So Saul said to his servants, “Find25 me a man who plays well and bring him to me.” 16:18 One of his attendants replied,26 “I have seen a son of Jesse in Bethlehem27 who knows how to play the lyre. He is a brave warrior28 and is articulate29 and handsome,30 for the Lord is with him.”

16:19 So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David, who is out with the sheep. 16:20 So Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat31 and sent them to Saul with32 his son David. 16:21 David came to Saul and stood before him. Saul liked him a great deal,33 and he became his armor bearer. 16:22 Then Saul sent word to Jesse saying, “Let David be my servant, for I really like him.”34

16:23 So whenever the spirit from God would come upon Saul, David would take his lyre and play it. This would bring relief to Saul and make him feel better. Then the evil spirit would leave him alone.35

David Kills Goliath

17:1 1 The Philistines gathered their troops2 for battle. They assembled at Socoh in Judah. They camped in Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 17:2 Saul and the Israelite army3 assembled and camped in the valley of Elah, where they arranged their battle lines to fight against4 the Philistines. 17:3 The Philistines were standing on one hill, and the Israelites5 on another hill, with the valley between them.

17:4 Then a champion6 came out from the camp of the Philistines. His name was Goliath; he was from Gath. He was close to seven feet tall.7 17:5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and was wearing scale body armor. The weight of his bronze body armor was five thousand shekels.8 17:6 He had bronze shin guards9 on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders. 17:7 The shaft10 of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and the iron point of his spear weighed six hundred shekels.11 His shield bearer was walking before him.

17:8 Goliath12 stood and called to Israel’s troops,13 “Why do you come out to prepare for battle? Am I not the Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose14 for yourselves a man so he may come down15 to me! 17:9 If he is able to fight with me and strike me down, we will become your servants. But if I prevail against him and strike him down, you will become our servants and will serve us.” 17:10 Then the Philistine said, “I defy Israel’s troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight16 each other!” 17:11 When Saul and all the Israelites17 heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.

17:12 18 Now David was the son of this Ephrathite named Jesse from Bethlehem19 in Judah. He had eight sons, and in Saul’s days he was old and well advanced in years.20 17:13 Jesse’s three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the21 three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest. 17:14 Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul, 17:15 David was going back and forth22 from Saul in order to care for his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.

17:16 Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position. 17:17 Jesse said to his son David, “Take your brothers this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread; go quickly23 to the camp to your brothers. 17:18 Also take these ten portions of cheese to their commanding officer.24 Find out how your brothers are doing25 and bring back their pledge that they received the goods.26 17:19 They are with Saul and the whole Israelite army27 in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines.”

17:20 So David got up early in the morning and entrusted the flock to someone else who would watch over it.28 After loading up, he went just as Jesse had instructed him. He arrived at the camp29 as the army was going out to the battle lines shouting its battle cry. 17:21 Israel and the Philistines drew up their battle lines opposite one another. 17:22 After David had entrusted his cargo to the care of the supply officer,30 he ran to the battlefront. When he arrived, he asked his brothers how they were doing. 17:23 As he was speaking with them, the champion named Goliath, the Philistine from Gath, was coming up from the battle lines of the Philistines. He spoke the way he usually did,31 and David heard it. 17:24 When all the men of Israel saw this man, they retreated32 from his presence and were very afraid.

17:25 The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? He does so33 to defy Israel. But the king will make the man who can strike him down very wealthy! He will give him his daughter in marriage, and he will make his father’s house exempt from tax obligations in Israel.”

17:26 David asked the men who were standing near him, “What will be done for the man who strikes down this Philistine and frees Israel from this humiliation?34 For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he defies the armies of the living God?” 17:27 The soldiers35 told him what had been promised, saying,36 “This is what will be done for the man who can strike him down.”

17:28 When David’s37 oldest brother Eliab heard him speaking to the men, he became angry38 with David and said, “Why have you come down here? To whom did you entrust those few sheep in the desert? I am familiar with your pride and deceit!39 You have come down here to watch the battle!”

17:29 David replied, “What have I done now? Can’t I say anything?”40 17:30 Then he turned from those who were nearby to someone else and asked the same question,41 but they42 gave him the same answer as before. 17:31 When David’s words were overheard and reported to Saul, he called for him.43

17:32 David said to Saul, “Don’t let anyone be discouraged.44 Your servant will go and fight this Philistine!” 17:33 But Saul replied to David, “You aren’t able to go against this Philistine and fight him! You’re just a boy! He has been a warrior from his youth!”

17:34 David replied to Saul, “Your servant has been a shepherd for his father’s flock. Whenever a lion or bear would come and carry off a sheep from the flock, 17:35 I would go out after it, strike it down, and rescue the sheep from its mouth. If it rose up against me, I would grab it by its jaw, strike it, and kill it. 17:36 Your servant has struck down both the lion and the bear. This uncircumcised Philistine will be just like one of them.45 For he has defied the armies of the living God!” 17:37 David went on to say, “The Lord who delivered me from the lion and the bear will also deliver me from the hand of this Philistine!” Then Saul said to David, “Go! The Lord will be with you.”46

17:38 Then Saul clothed David with his own fighting attire and put a bronze helmet on his head. He also put body armor on him. 17:39 David strapped on his sword over his fighting attire and tried to walk around, but he was not used to them.47 David said to Saul, “I can’t walk in these things, for I’m not used to them.” So David removed them. 17:40 He took his staff in his hand, picked out five smooth stones from the stream, placed them in the pouch48 of his shepherd’s bag, took his sling in hand, and approached the Philistine.

17:41 49 The Philistine kept coming closer to David, with his shield bearer walking in front of him. 17:42 When the …

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1	tc The Lucianic recension of the Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And the Lord said to Samuel.”
2	map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
3	tn Heb “for I have seen among his sons for me a king.”
4	tn Heb “in your hand.”
5	tn Heb “say”; KJV, NRSV “name”; NIV “indicate.”
6	tn Heb “said.”
7	map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
8	tc In the MT the verb is singular (“he said”), but the translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss and ancient versions in reading the plural (“they said”).
9	tn Heb “he”; the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10	tn Heb “saw.”
11	tn Heb “said”; the words “to himself” are implied, given the secrecy surrounding Samuel’s mission to Bethlehem (v. 2).
12	tn Heb “his anointed one.”
13	tn Heb “don’t look toward.”
14	tn Heb “for not that which the man sees.” The translation follows the LXX, which reads, “for not as man sees does God see.” The MT has suffered from homoioteleuton or homoioarcton. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 274.
15	tn Heb “to the eyes.”
16	tn Heb “and caused him to pass before.”
17	tn Heb “he” (also in v. 9); the referent (Samuel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18	tn Heb “caused to pass by.”
19	tn Heb “caused seven of his sons to pass before Samuel.” This could be taken as referring to seven sons in addition to the three mentioned before this, but 1 Sam 17:12 says Jesse had eight sons, not eleven. 1 Chr 2:13–15 lists only seven sons, including David. However, 1 Chr 27:18 mentions an additional son, named Elihu.
20	tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jesse) has been specified in the translation both here and in v. 12 for clarity.
21	tn Heb “and he sent and brought him.”
22	tn Or “an injurious spirit”; cf. NLT “a tormenting spirit.” The phrase need not refer to an evil, demonic spirit. The Hebrew word translated “evil” may refer to the character of the spirit or to its effect upon Saul. If the latter, another translation option might be “a mischief-making spirit.”
23	tn Heb “and he will play with his hand.”
24	tn Heb “and it will be better for you.”
25	tn Heb “see.”
26	tn Heb “answered and said.”
27	map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
28	tn Heb “mighty man of valor and a man of war.”
29	tn Heb “discerning of word.”
30	tn Heb “a man of form.”
31	tn Heb “a kid of the goats.”
32	tn Heb “by the hand of.”
33	tn Heb “he loved him.”
34	tn Heb “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”
35	tn Heb “would turn aside from upon him.”
1	tc The content of 1 Sam 17–18, which includes the David and Goliath story, differs considerably in the LXX as compared to the MT, suggesting that this story circulated in ancient times in more than one form. The LXX for chs. 17–18 is much shorter than the MT, lacking almost half of the material (39 of a total of 88 verses). Many scholars (e.g., McCarter, Klein) think that the shorter text of the LXX is preferable to the MT, which in their view has been expanded by incorporation of later material. Other scholars (e.g., Wellhausen, Driver) conclude that the shorter Greek text (or the Hebrew text that underlies it) reflects an attempt to harmonize certain alleged inconsistencies that appear in the longer version of the story. Given the translation characteristics of the LXX elsewhere in this section, it does not seem likely that these differences are due to deliberate omission of these verses on the part of the translator. It seems more likely that the Greek translator has faithfully rendered here a Hebrew text that itself was much shorter than the MT in these chapters. Whether or not the shorter text represented by the LXX is to be preferred over the MT in 1 Sam 17–18 is a matter over which textual scholars are divided. For a helpful discussion of the major textual issues in this unit see D. Barthélemy, D. W. Gooding, J. Lust, and E. Tov, The Story of David and Goliath (OBO). Overall it seems preferable to stay with the MT, at least for the most part. However, the major textual differences between the LXX and the MT will be mentioned in the notes that accompany the translation so that the reader may be alert to the major problem passages.
2	tn Heb “camps.”
3	tn Heb “the men of Israel” (so KJV, NASB); NAB, NIV, NRSV “the Israelites.”
4	tn Heb “to meet.”
5	tn Heb “Israel.”
6	tn Heb “the man of the space between the two [armies].” See v. 23.
7	tc Heb “his height was six cubits and a span” (cf. KJV, NASB, NRSV). A cubit was approximately eighteen inches, a span nine inches. So, according to the Hebrew tradition, Goliath was about nine feet, nine inches tall (cf. NIV, CEV, NLT “over nine feet”; NCV “nine feet, four inches”; TEV “nearly 3 metres”). However, some Greek witnesses, Josephus, and a manuscript of 1 Samuel from Qumran read “four cubits and a span” here, that is, about six feet, nine inches (cf. NAB “six and a half feet”). This seems more reasonable; it is likely that Goliath’s height was exaggerated as the story was retold. See P. K. McCarter, I Samuel (AB), 286,.
8	sn Although the exact weight of Goliath’s defensive body armor is difficult to estimate in terms of modern equivalency, it was obviously quite heavy. Driver, following Kennedy, suggests a modern equivalent of about 220 pounds (100 kg); see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 139. Klein, taking the shekel to be equal to .403 ounces, arrives at a somewhat smaller weight of about 126 pounds (57 kg); see R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 175. But by any estimate it is clear that Goliath presented himself as a formidable foe indeed.
9	sn Or “greaves.” These were coverings (probably lined for comfort) that extended from about the knee to the ankle, affording protection for the shins of a warrior.
10	tn The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading “wood,” rather than the “arrow” (the reading of the Kethib).
11	sn That is, about fifteen or sixteen pounds.
12	tn Heb “he”; the referent (Goliath) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13	tn The Hebrew text adds “and said to them.”
14	tc The translation follows the ancient versions in reading “choose,” (from the root בחר, bkhr), rather than the MT. The verb in MT (ברה, brh) elsewhere means “to eat food”; the sense of “to choose,” required here by the context, is not attested for this root. The MT apparently reflects an early scribal error.
15	tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (either an imperfect or jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose/result here.
16	tn Following the imperative, the cohortative verbal form indicates purpose/result here.
17	tn Heb “all Israel.”
18	tc Some mss of the LXX lack vv. 12–31.
19	map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
20	tc The translation follows the Lucianic recension of the LXX and the Syriac Peshitta in reading “in years,” rather than MT “among men.”
21	tn Heb “his.”
22	tn Heb “was going and returning.”
23	tn Heb “run.”
24	tn Heb “officer of the thousand.”
25	tn Heb “and your brothers, observe with respect to welfare.”
26	tn Heb “and their pledge take.” This probably refers to some type of confirmation that the goods arrived safely. See R. W. Klein, 1 Samuel (WBC), 177. Cf. NIV “bring back some assurance”; NCV “some proof to show me they are all right”; NLT “bring me back a letter from them.”
27	tn Heb “all the men of Israel.”
28	tn Heb “to a guard”; KJV, NASB, NRSV “with a keeper”; NIV “with a shepherd.” Since in contemporary English “guard” sounds like someone at a military installation or a prison, the present translation uses “to someone else who would watch over it.”
29	tn Or “entrenchment.”
30	tn Heb “the guard of the equipment.”
31	tn Heb “according to these words.”
32	tn Or “fled.”
33	tn Heb “he is coming up.”
34	tn Heb “and turns aside humiliation from upon Israel.”
35	tn Heb “people.”
36	tn Heb “according to this word, saying.”
37	tn Heb “his”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
38	tn Heb “the anger of Eliab became hot.”
39	tn Heb “the wickedness of your heart.”
40	tn Heb “Is it not [just] a word?”
41	tn Heb “and spoke according to this word.”
42	tn Heb “the people.”
43	tn Heb “he took him.”
44	tn Heb “Let not the heart of a man fall upon him.” The LXX reads “my lord,” instead of “a man.”
45	tc The LXX includes here the following words not found in the MT: “Should I not go and smite him, and remove today reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised one?”
46	tn Or “Go, and may the Lord be with you” (so NASB, NCV, NRSV).
47	tn Heb “he had not tested.”
48	tn This Hebrew word occurs only here and its exact meaning is not entirely clear. It refers to a receptacle of some sort and apparently was a common part of a shepherd’s equipment. Here it serves as a depository for the stones that David will use in his sling.
49	tc Most LXX mss lack v. 41.

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